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A pedestal base is what lets everyone at a round table actually tuck their chairs in — no corner legs to straddle. This one is deceptively simple: four L-shaped leg sets built from plywood, ganged around a center and tied with 1x4s, forming a sturdy column that carries a 48", 54", or 60" top.
The trick to a crisp result is the L-leg. Each leg is two plywood pieces joined at a right angle — one 16" wide, one 15-1/4" wide, so that when four of them wrap around the center the seams overlap cleanly and the outside faces stay flush. Get the rip widths right and the base looks like a solid turned column instead of four boards screwed together.
The top is a separate build (or buy) — this plan is only the base. How you attach it matters: mending plates work for a 1-1/2" thick top, but for a 3/4" top scrap plywood cleats are safer than plates that could blow through. And with any wide top, leave the attachment able to move a little seasonally, or a solid top will crack itself against a rigid base.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 3/4" plywood, matching veneerThe whole base plus reinforcement scraps come from one sheet. | 1 sheet |
| 1x4, square edge, matching speciesTies the four leg sets together at the ends. | 10 linear ft |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 1 box |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4" | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 6 oz |
| Mending platesFor a 1-1/2" thick top. For a 3/4" top, use 3/4" plywood cleats instead. | 4 each |
| Finish | 1 kit |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Leg pieces (wide)3/4" plywood | 4 | 3/4" × 16" × 28 1/2" |
| Leg pieces (narrow)3/4" plywood3/4" narrower so the L-legs wrap flush; rip one 16" strip down to make the fourth. | 4 | 3/4" × 15 1/4" × 28 1/2" |
| End ties1x4 | 4 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 28 1/2" |
| Reinforcement scraps3/4" plywood2"-wide plywood scraps to gusset the inside joints; cut to suit. | 8 | 3/4" × 2" × 6" |
Buy 7 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
2 boards
2 boards
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Rip the plywood into two strips 16" wide and one strip 15-1/4" wide, then crosscut into eight pieces all 28-1/2" long. You need four 15-1/4" pieces, so rip one of the 16" pieces down to 15-1/4". Accurate rips here are what make the finished base look like a solid column.
Drill 3/4" pocket holes along one edge of each 15-1/4" wide piece. Join each narrow piece to a 16" wide piece at a right angle to form an L — build four identical leg sets. Keep the outside faces flush; that's what hides the seam.
Stand the four L-legs around the center so they wrap into a column, and tie them together at the ends with the 1x4s using 1-1/4" brad nails and glue. Check the column is square and sits flat before the glue sets.
Gusset the inside joints with the 2"-wide plywood scraps, glued and pinned with 1-1/4" brad nails. This is a big table's whole footing — the reinforcement is cheap insurance against racking.
Fasten mending plates across the top of the column to receive the tabletop. If your top is only 3/4" thick at the attachment points, use scrap 3/4" plywood cleats instead of plates so a screw can't blow through.
Sand and finish to match your top. The round or square top is a separate build; attach it so a wide solid top can still move seasonally without cracking.
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